Hi, I am Taran Williams, a 16-year-old boy from Bangalore. I was a student at Bethany High School, Koramangala. After a tough selection process, I have been selected to join the BARCA RESIDENCY ACADEMY, USA to pursue my goal of being a professional footballer and also to continue with my regular schooling.  This is the only official full-time youth residency academy in the world besides La Masia in Barcelona, Spain run by FC Barcelona. 

The USA-based Youth Soccer Academy was impressed with my talent and offered me a spot on the Barca Residency Academy U17 Pre Academy team along with high school education at Arizona State University Prep School for the 2019-20 school year. I am grateful to my coaches Aslam Khan and Tarun Aswal, whose rigorous training at SAI-Bangalore helped me do well. 

I AM THE FIRST EVER STUDENT FROM BANGALORE TO BE SELECTED BY THE BARCA RESIDENCY ACADEMY.

Miha Kline (Director of Recruiting) wrote to me, saying, “We were impressed by the level of your talent, your performance on the field and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know you off the field as well.” The Academy offered me “the most financial assistance” possible with a scholarship of $16,500 (INR 11.2 Lakhs) for the first year.

However, I still need to raise the balance funds that amount to a total of INR 40L (see details below). Please do fund my campaign generously. While its a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me, I would also like to think that it would be simply amazing if I can make it big in football and make all of you feel good about funding me.

FINANCIALS :

ABOUT THE ACADEMY:

Barça Residency Academy is a partnership between world-renowned soccer club, FC Barcelona and Grande Sports World, the Center for Excellence for youth soccer development and education in the United States. 

THE CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE

As the only full-time residential academy program partnered with a top international professional team, student-athletes live and train on Grande Sports World’s campus that features: on-site dormitories, eight soccer fields, professional nutritional programming, an outstanding high school, and a 58,000 square foot state-of-the-art athletic training facility.

• Every graduate has earned a college scholarship or signed a professional contract
• Full-time FC Barcelona coaches are on staff year around
• FC Barcelona methodology is the foundation for the training curriculum
• U.S. Soccer Development Academy competition (the highest youth level in the U.S.)
• Outstanding high school education is provided by Arizona State University Preparatory Academy
• Annual opportunities to train and tryout with FC Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain

ABOUT STARPICK

StarPick, founded in 2018, with a growing strategic team across India, UK and Sweden, is a Fantasy Sports platform, which began with IPL Season XI and have since, hosted  Asia Cup, European Football, Tennis, Kabaddi, Baseball and many other sports in the following months. With over 1.2 million users, StarPick offers the widest portfolio of games ranging from Cricket, Kabaddi, Football, Baseball, Basketball to Major League Baseball and many more. This makes StarPick the most comprehensive fantasy sports platform in the country with the leadership of globally celebrated and reputed experts and analysts.

At StarPick, the customer is always at the core of the brand does and hence, creating disruptive and newer solutions and offerings for users is an ongoing process. With a plethora of innovations in features and formats in the world of fantasy sports such as the introduction Matchup, Pick’em, Dynamic player pricing and more, StarPick is at the forefront of being the most exciting fantasy gaming company in the country today. The company was also conferred the Silver trophy for the Grand Prix award for excellence in marketing innovation at the ACEF Asian Leadership award 2018 for its innovative campaign ‘Campus Stars of StarPick’.

WHY FUND ME?

At age 6 or 7, I fractured my wrist trying to block a goal from a much bigger player, but that injury did not dampen my enthusiasm for soccer because I was already in love with the game. I would play every day with friends in front of my home trying not to set off car alarms. Dad saw my passion and took me wherever he could for good training: Bangalore FC, Ozone FC, Paris Saint-Germain FC and Sports Authority of India (SAI). I have played for the state team (U14), but having OCI status, my path to the national team is closed.

My parents are teachers and with the little money they had saved they sent me alone to the US for selections to Barça Academy in Arizona. It was a long flight, and I was worried at times, but they had faith. The coaches there first tested me with my age group, and then with the older boys (U18), where I did well.

Miha Kline (Director of recruiting) wrote to me, saying, “We were impressed by the level of your talent, your performance on the field and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know you off the field as well.” The Academy offered me “the most financial assistance” possible with a scholarship of $16,500 for the first year, which is 1/5 the cost for the year. I was so thrilled! The program includes stay and food, training, training kits, school education, sports and college counseling, team travel, flights, etc.

My school (Bethany High) conferred me with the 'Best Outgoing Student in Sports and Games' award, and this is my best chance to get into professional soccer, by training at an academy run by one of the most famous clubs in the world, known for its technical brilliance, creative play and world success. I play as a central attacking midfielder, and the head coach says I would be “a great fit” for the team. Four students are selected every year to train with FC Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain, and I want to be one of them!

It’s the opportunity of a lifetime. Please help me achieve my goal! 

Pic - During one of the competitions in Barcelona 4 years ago. 

ACADEMY LOCATION